What if Earnie Shavers had durability and stamina of Rocky Marciano, how good he could be? Also will this change the outcome of fights with Foreman, Liston and other greats? Is there a possibility that he will be a champion in 70s and 80s in this case?
Earnie probably had equal or better stamina he just fought much better opponents, who taxed his gas tank more than the old dudes Marciano faced. Simple.
I’ll respond by looking at fights he actually had. With a better chin he might have survived the first round with Quarry and eventually gotten him. Maybe…. With a better chin AND stamina he doesn’t lose to tex Cobb or Bernardo Mercado, although I realize that by that point age had a lot to do with the outcome of those fights.
He would have been a true great IMO, though sluggers rarely are Goerge Foreman an obvious exception. Shavers lacked chin and a gas tank.
I think Shavers was probably more durable than Marciano. It doesn't seem like that because of who he was fighting. Shavers chin wasn't the greatest but I don't think it was preventing him from reaching greater heights. I don't think there was anything wrong with his gas tank either. Shavers problem was at any given time he was never one of the 5 best HWs at a time there was 1 champion. Shavers got the easiest Ali fight of his peers and he still lost. He just wasn't good enough to be the champ at a time there weren't 3 or 4 belts. Shavers was 1-5 in his 12/15 rounders. Quarry got lucky. If he won that fight he'd 2-4. If he beat Lyle hes 3-3. Thats really the best case for him. And in that scenario he doesn't even win the NABF which was the 2nd biggest belt at that time. He needs to beat Foreman/Ali/Norton/Jimmy Young for that.
